One last year of card shop cheer

AFTER more than thirty-seven years of operation, the Ballarat Combined Charities Christmas Card Shop is in operation for the last time.

Selling traditional, handmade and novelty Christmas cards along with a range of gifts, the seasonal pop-up will be open at St John’s Lutheran Church Hall until Saturday, 18 December.

Money raised at the shop goes towards supporting a range of local charities and organisations, with volunteers striving to raise as much money as possible in the next two months.

Coordinator Denise Boyko said the seasonal pop-up will no longer run after 2021 as a demand for Christmas cards has reduced, and their initiative is no longer sustainable.

“Less and less of the charities are also supplying cards, and we’ve been compensating for the last few years with gifts, plants and our own cards that we’ve commissioned,” she said.

“We’re making a big effort this year, so I suggest people get in and stock up their cards for the next year.

“We appreciate the support the community’s given the shop over the years. Last year, it was over $16,000 that went back to charities, so it’s been terrific.”

Along with the Christmas cards there’s also plants, and gifts on sale, including decorations, volunteers’ knitted tea cosies, dolls, tapestry bags, aprons, teddies, masks, cookbooks, and popular tea towels on offer.

Forty volunteers help run the shop, working in teams of two, and will also be selling raffle tickets.

Charities supported include the 3BA Christmas Appeal, Ballarat Health Services Special Care Nursery, and Young Adult Mental Health Unit, Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre, The SoupBus, Ballarat’s Berry Street School, Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute, and many more.

The Ballarat Combined Charities Christmas Card Shop was launched by Connie Sadler in the 1980s, originally running from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau on Lydiard Street.

The shop is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm in October. In November and December, it will be open at the same times, and on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm. It is also open on public holidays.